"I didn't do it to offend anybody, and I would say I'm sorry if you don't get my sense of humor, and it may not be everybody's cup of tea, but that's why we're all different. I personally find it kind of funny," Hodson said.

When the group tracked him down, he couldn't put down his phone.

"It sounded like a railroad crossing. I got 3,500 shares and likes and comments in about three hours," he said. "So it was just, 'Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding!' all during dinner, all in the evening. I finally had to turn my phone off so I could get some rest that night."

"I thought it was fun and crazy and a little piece of 'Murderino' Americana," Gaither said.

So, if you see it around town, Hodson said don't be afraid of the creepy clown.

"No worries. Come up and enjoy it. Get your picture taken, and enjoy it for what it is -- a light-hearted joke," he said.

Lee's Summit police said Thursday they didn't know the van existed and haven't received any complaints about it.